Horse-collar fastener.



PATENTED MAR. 10. 1903.

S. H. HULL. HORSE COLLAR PASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 30, 1901 N0 MODEL.

UNTTE STATES ATE T OFFICE.

SCOTT H. HULL, OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

HORSE-COLLAR FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,304, dated March 10, 1903. Application filed December 30,1901. Serial No. 87,777- (No model.)

lo all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SCOTT H. HULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Co1lar Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fasteners designed more especially for connecting the ends of a horse-collar, although capable of use in other places. As is well known, the ends of a horsecollar are pressed together when tightening the hames, and in many forms of fasteners the latter are loosened or are liable to separation because of the relaxed condition of the securing means incident to the pressing together of the ends of the collar by the hames.

This invention provides a fastener which will prevent the separation of the parts when the ends of the horse-collar are pressed together, the parts becoming interlocked by the inward movement of the ends of the horsecollar, thereby more firmly securing the fastening and wholly obviating the foregoing noted objection.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreifecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

WVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of a horse-collar connected by means of a fastening embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one member of the fastener. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the complete fastener on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a top viewof the hasp and loop members of the fastener, the dotted lines showing the interlocking connection when the members are moved inward. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of hasp. Fig. 6 is a View showing the hasp illustrated in Fig. 5 in operative position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of they drawings by the same reference characters.

The essential elements of the fastener are the hasp 1 and loop 2. The hasp is provided with a series of openings 3 for reception of the loop 2, and a tongue/i projects from a side of each opening to pass through the loop 2 after the latter has been entered into the opening. The tongues 41: project into the openings from the same side and are adapted to pass through the loop upon pressing the parts 1 and 2 inward contrariwise to the usual direction of strain.

The hasp l is pivoted to a plate 5, and the loop 2 projects from a plate 6, and these plates 5 and 6 are adapted to be attached in any substantial way to the ends of a horsecollar or other part to be secured. When the parts 1 and 2 of the fastener are subjected to outward strain", the loop 2 is held in engagement with a selected opening 3 of the hasp by means of a tongue 7, and when the plates are pressed inward or toward each other by compression of the end of the horse-collar, resulting from tightening the hames about the collar, the tongue 4 of the opening through which the loop passes enters said loop, interlocks therewith, and prevents separation of thehasp and loop. It is essential that the tongues project from opposite sides of the openings, so as to enter the loop upon either inward or outward movement of the parts 1 and 2 in the manner stated.

The tongues 7 project into the openings 3 from the opposite side thereof and hold the loop 2 in placewhen the fastener is in use, and the strain on the parts is outward or tends to separate them.

The hasp shown in Figs. 5 and 6 omits the tongues 7, and a billet or thong 8 is employed to pass through the loop 2 after the latter has been inserted in aselected opening 3 and prevents withdrawal of the loop 2 when at the left-hand side of the opening 3. When the hames are in place, the collar is compressed and the parts 1 and 2 are pressed inward, thereby causing the tongue 4: to enter the loop 2. The thong or billet 8 holds the loop 2 in place when the parts 1 and 2 are under outward strain, as when the hames are removed from the collar.

In the construction embodying the oppositely-extending tongues'4: and 7 the billet or thong 8 vis not necessary, since one or the other of the tongues will enter and engage with the loop 2, the latter remaining at one end or the other of the opening 3, according as the ends of the collar are pressed inward or tend outward. The loop 2 occupies a central position of the openings 3 only when entering or leaving said opening.

The vertical flanges 9 at the rear or inner edge of the plates 6 and 5 sustain the rear thrust of the fastening means (not shown) connecting the upper ends of the hames when the latter are in place.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In combination with a horse-collar, a fastener for connecting the ends thereof, the same comprising two members attached to the respective end portions of the collar and having vertical flanges at their rear edges, one of the members having a series of openings in its length and tongues extended into the openings from opposite directions and spaced apart at their ends, and the other member having a loop to pass through any opening of the aforesaid plate and become engaged by a tongue thereof according as the ends of the collar are pressed together or are subjected to outward strain, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

H. S. HOWARD, H. H. HARROLD. 

